NEWS BY MAIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 45, 15 August 1911, Page 3

NEWS BY MAIL

CALAIS HOAXED. BOGUS AIRMAN GETS OFFICIAL RECEPTION AND MONEY. | Paris, July 10. ! In order to avoid clashing with tha Gordon-Bennett race on Saturday, the competitors in the European circuits have postponed their flight from Calais to London until Monday. Early yesterday the town of Calais was somewhat badly hoaxed. A young man claiming to beLegagnenx, the wellknown airman, arrayed in the costume now generally adopted by aviators, pre- | seiited himself at the military headquarters. Arrangement were made at once for the racecourse to be guarded by troops. The young man was entertained at lunch by a number of official personages. When the cigars were passed round he let it become known that he was ,in want of money. He explained that he had lost his pocket-book in landing somewhat too abruptly with his aeroplane. Naturally, financial aid was at once fortcoming, and then the young airm.in was driven round the racecourse in a motor car so that he might survey the scene of operations. He then took his departure for Tourcome, promising to return by way of the air later in the day. At five o'clock in the evening a large crowd assembled to welcome him, but they waited until nightfall in vain. To-day Calais is laughing over the affair. Between a quarter past two and quarter to four this afternoon six genuine airmen landed on the racecourse ,ifter battling with a high wind all the way from Roubraix, 65 miles distant. Valentine, the English aviator, who has missed some of the intermediate stages, also joined the little company, but" he came to grief at Landrecies, smashing his machine, but escaped without'injury to himself.

Vedriens arrived first in one hour sixteen minutes, beating his runner-tip, Vidart, by twenty minutes. Beaumont was third, Gilbert fourth, Kimmerling fifth and Garros, sixth. Beaumont still maintains his lead in the general classification. A gigantic arrow, 165 yards long, has been constructed on the' cliffs, pointing straight towards Dover. SOLD , SECRETS 'TO BRITAIN. - Berlin, June 14. It is semi-ofllcially announced that Herr Grueger, the ex-naval constructor, has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment in a fortress for communicating details of the German Dreadnought Nassau to Great Britain. In fixing the penalty the court, it is stated, was guided by the consideration that the State suffered no injury through the communication, and also that four months after the offence was committed the information in question ceased to be officially secret. PRINCESS WINS ROYAL CHILDREN'S GIRL. Windsor, June 14. I here was an amusing scene to-day in the grounds connecting Windsor Castle with Frogmore, where the Roval children are staying. While the king and Queen were at the races the Prince of VVa es Princess Mary and Prince George took their bicycles out, and with the Prince of Wales as handieapper and starter, had some racing, called by one of the young people "the Ascot"Cycle stakes." Princess Mary had several yards given her because she was a girl» and Prince ueorge, because he was small." Princess Mary pedalled with such vigor that she won the first race, much to her delight.

31 BLACKS TO ONE WHITE, Salisbury (Rhodesia), June 13. The census of Southern Rhodesia shows there are 23,582 Europeans, an increase of"'10,080 as compared with the figures of the census of l!)l)4. The total number of native'and colored inhabitants is 745,889.